Broken Boundaries
by Piper Alexis
Summary: It's the summer before Ginny's 6th, and Hermione's 7th year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Strange feelings begin to emerge and unexpected pain arisis as they struggle to deal with their emotions. Warnings: femmeslash, and HBP SPOILERS
1. Prologue

_I would just like to say that although I love J. K. Rowling and all of her characters, imagry, storylines and the such, they have never been mine and will never be mine. Rowling has just given me a push to explore my own imagination._

_A/N: This is my first fan-fic that I've ventured to write by myself. It's a Hr/G femme/slash angsty romance fic. I'm warning you of that right now before you read. Right now it's not too bad, but it may get that way in the future. I'm not sure if I'm confident with myself to write any sex scenes, so we'll see. I guess it depends on the kind of feedback I get whether I'll take it in that direction. I'm not too sure why, but I've been partial to Hr/G romances. I guess because it pushes the boundaries of what's "normal" and I've always loved those two characters. Hope you like it, thanks for reading!_

Prologue

She watched as a lonely leaf drifted down towards the ground. It was the reddish brown color of the fading fall season. The leaf suddenly stirred as it was caught in a slight breeze and was now sailing gracefully towards a small group of people walking through the grounds. Ginny thought to herself, _I know how you feel. You think you're thriving, you've got this great life. Warm breezes, sunny skies, long wonderful days... Then things change, you loose your strength, you start to wither and die, and then it's over. You're drifting down towards your final resting place._ As she continued to gaze through the window, she now noticed who made up that small group of people. It was the inseparable trio, Ron, Harry, and Hermione. "Oh, if only..." she said softly to herself. "If only..."

Ginny was the kind of girl everybody loved. She was smart, fun, vivacious. She loved life and had a real humor about her that made everyone else around her feel warm inside. It was her sixth year at Hogwarts. With the sudden death of the well loved Dumbledore, everyone thought for sure the school would be shut down. The Ministry of Magic had tried their hardest, but in the end Professor McGonagall had persevered. The school would remain open, at least as long as there was one student who wished to learn. Ginny was glad for this one small victory. At first it had been because she would be able to see Harry, but after the summer she had experienced, it was for another reason altogether.


	2. Broken Heart

_I would just like to say that although I love J.K. Rowling and all of her characters, imagery, storylines and the such, they have never been mine and will never be mine. Rowling has just given me a push to explore my own imagination._

_A/N This chapter was basically supposed to be part of the next chapter, but I figured that it sounded better on it's own. Enjoy and thanks for reading!_

Chapter 1: A Broken Heart

The school year had ended on the saddest note possible. Bill was horribly disfigured, Dumbledore was dead, Snape had double crossed him, and he and Malfoy had escaped. Voldemort was killing people left and right, the school might be closing, parents were in an uproar. Even the muggles had noticed something was stirring. Everything that could go wrong had most definitely gone wrong. Ginny had thought her only comfort from all this was that she had Harry to help her through. Much to her dismay, she was wrong.

He had ended their short relationship at Dumbledore's funeral, of all places. She had not let him see how much it had killed her when he told her. She knew he had done it because if she was too close to him she would be in greater danger. She just sat quietly next to him throughout the service and when she finally left his side, tears flowed freely down her face. She went straight to her dorm room to gather her things and left for the trip to the Hogwarts Express and the journey home.

As she sat alone in a compartment on the train her mind began to wander to the day they had won the Quidditch match. She had tried her hardest and gave it everything she had. She wanted Harry to be proud of her. Ginny had always had a crush on Harry, ever since the first day she laid eyes on him. She'd always been jealous of Ron for being his best friend and even more so of Hermione, until that is, she realized Hermione only had eyes for Ron. She had never let her feelings show, thinking he would just see her as Ron's little sister. She did everything she could to try to make him notice her without being overtly obvious. Even dating several other boys and deliberately kissing Dean in the corridor she knew Harry would be traveling. That had disastrously backfired with Ron practically giving birth to a blast ended skrewt. Seeing the way he reacted to her with Dean, she didn't think he'd ever give her and Harry his blessings. After that fateful match, when Harry kissed her and Ron was much more accepting of that kiss than the last one, she thought her life was complete.

"I'm sorry. I know you probably want to be alone right now, but would you mind if I talked with you for a moment. I just wanted to see if you were okay." A voice brought her out of her reverie as she realized Hermione had just spoken to her.

"What? Oh, yes. I'm sorry, I was lost in thought. It's fine, have a seat," she replied.

"I just heard what happened. Harry told me. I'm so sorry Ginny, I really am," Hermione said with clear concern in her deep brown eyes.

"Well, crap happens sometimes..." Ginny stated quite bluntly. She hadn't meant to be so rude, but she had thought to herself that Hermione still had Ron. Hermione just stared at her with a shocked expression on her face.

"Well, I-I-I... I guess I just wanted to see if you needed anything. I'm here for you, you know that right?" Ginny felt the tears start to well up in her eyes and she couldn't hold it in any longer. She threw herself into Hermione's arms and just let herself cry. She couldn't talk, she didn't have the words. She didn't really have any strength left in her, she felt like she didn't have anything left at all. Hermione rocked Ginny as she silently stroked her hair. Soon, exhausted and totally spent, Ginny didn't even have tears left and she slipped into sleep.

She awoke to find her head in Hermione's lap. Hermione had been lightly dozing and she woke when she felt Ginny stirring. Hermione smiled at her and said, "I think we're pulling into King's Cross. We'd better gather our things." For a moment Ginny was a little disoriented. She sat up and looked out the window to see the station coming into view.

"Sorry," she said very weakly as all her memories flooded back. "Sorry for what? I just did what any friend would do," Hermione said. Ginny wasn't very sure what to say and she mumbled a quick thank you and began to grab her belongings. "Well, I'd better go get my bags before Ron breaks his back trying to get them for me. I'm sure I'll see you over the summer." As she slid the compartment door open she looked over her shoulder and told Ginny, "It will get better, I promise." With that Hermione was gone.

She didn't even look around her as she departed from the train. She just wanted to go back to The Burrow and shut herself in her room forever.


	3. Unexpected Emotions

_I would just like to say that although I love J.K. Rowling and all of her characters, imagery, storylines and the such, they have never been mine and will never be mine. Rowling has just given me a push to explore my own imagination._

_A/N: Okay, now it begins... I'm trying to stay at true to the characters as possible. You guys think I'm doing a good job so far? Enjoy and thanks for reading!_

Chapter 2: Unexpected Emotions

It was three weeks into the summer holidays when Ginny finally decided she'd had just enough of her room. She came down to breakfast early, Ron was still asleep, and her mother was just making eggs and bacon. Mrs. Weasley had been very worried about her daughter, but after several failed attempts to get her out of her room she gave into the fact that Ginny needed to deal with her problems in her own way. Startled by the sudden appearance of her absent daughter Mrs. Weasley dropped her wand and the fork that had been flipping the bacon flew across the kitchen hitting her father, who had just walked through the door, in his cheek. It brought a small smile to Ginny's face. It almost hurt to smile.

"Oh my, Arthur. I'm sorry, Ginny startled me. Here, let me see," Mrs. Weasley said as she started to fawn over Mr. Weasley's very crimson cheek.

"Oh woman I'm fine. See, I still have a cheek," he mumbled as he batted his wife's hands away from his face. Ginny actually started to laugh. Seeing her parents in this very Weasley like moment made her realize that maybe life wasn't so bad after all. She still had her family.

"Oi, Ginny. You finally decided to get over yourself and join the land of the living again." Ron, never really was very good with sympathy. "Oh stuff it Ron," Ginny replied. He stuck out his tongue as he walked by her rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. As they sat down to breakfast she said, "So, you've advanced to sticking your tongue out at people, have you? I must say, it's a might bit better than words coming out of your mouth."

He contorted his face into something resembling a house elf who's had a bit too much firewiskey and asked, "Dad, have you heard anything about Hogwarts yet?"

Mr. Weasley who had just put a piece of bacon in his mouth replied, "Well, they are going to announce whether the school will stay open in this mornings paper, but the morning post hasn't arrived yet."

"No wonder Ron has such bad table manners Arthur, don't talk when you're chewing please," Mrs. Weasley said with a loving smile on her face.

"But, Molly, the boy asked me a question. What was I supposed to do," he replied with a knowing wink. Ginny and Ron just stared at each other and laughed.

With all the retched things happening around them, it appeared to Ginny that her family had managed to save some small bit of happiness. She was thankful for that, she needed something to take her mind off of everything it had been dwelling on for what seemed like an eternity. "Look," said Ginny, "Here comes the post." Sure enough, there was Pidwidgeon coming with the mail which was three times his size.

"It still amazes me how that small little creature manages to carry everything he does," Ron said with a goofy grin on his face. He jumped up and collected the post from his tiny owl. There was a letter from Harry and one from Hermione as well as the morning paper. He threw the paper to Mr. Weasley and sat back down with his letters. Ginny wasn't paying any attention to Ron as she patiently waited to hear about Hogwarts. "I don't believe it," Mr. Weasley stated, "Minerva's actually done it! Hogwarts is staying open!" Ginny felt her heart rise a little, but Ron suddenly smashed it right back down.

"Harry and Hermione are coming tomorrow to spend the rest of the summer holidays with us!" _Great_, Ginny thought to herself, _I guess I'd better find a way to learn to love my room_...

The next morning she didn't come down to breakfast, she couldn't stand to see Harry. "How am I supposed to live in my own house with him around all the time," she said to nobody. She pulled the blankets up over her head. _Maybe_, she thought, _maybe he might come around and realize he made a mistake breaking up with me_. She just rolled over and tried not to think about it anymore.

She awoke to Hermione, "Ginny, your mother tells me you've been in your room the whole time you've been home. You can't do this to yourself."

"Oh, believe me I can and I will. I can't face him Hermione. I still want him, I've always wanted him. I just, oh, I hate this. Maybe I should just throw myself to the Death Eaters and save everyone the trouble."

Making one of those very Hermione like "I'm going to fix this" faces she said, "Ginny, the only people that would save any trouble for, would be the Death Eaters. You can cast one hell of a hex and you're excellent in a fight. What would we do without you? Now, get up, get dressed, and get down stairs. We're all going to have lunch in the garden." Ginny just stared at her, daring her to make it happen. "NOW, GINNY WEASLEY!"

"Oh bloody hell, alright, I'm getting up okay?" Ginny replied. She knew if she didn't do what Hermione said, she'd never hear the end of it. Hermione was one very persistent girl.

As the door closed behind Hermione, the wheels in Ginny's brain began to turn. She thought to herself, if she had to face him, she would do it on her own terms. She would dress in her best clothes and put on her prettiest smile. She still didn't want him to know how much it was hurting her. She would just go back to hiding her feelings like she had done for so many years. She began to think that if she just acted normal, like she wasn't bothered, she would have a better chance of getting him back than if she said anything at all about what had transpired between them. She knew he had to still care for her, a little at least.

When she had finally made herself as attractive as she thought was possible, she stole a quick glance in the mirror. "I would date me," she spoke to her reflection. She then laughed at her own brashness as she walked out of the room.

Everyone had already gone out to the garden when she arrived down stairs. She made her way through the house nervously checking her reflection in anything that would reveal it. As she passed through the kitchen door she could see everyone sitting around a table that her father must have found somewhere while she and her brother had been away at school. It was an old fashioned muggle picnic table and from the looks of it probably one of the first ever built. Arthur Weasley still made time to find and study anything from the muggle world even after he had gotten his promotion. Ginny didn't think even Voldemort could make her father's fascination with muggles dissolve in the slightest.

"This old thing looks as if it will fall apart at any moment. I'm almost scared to sit down." Everyone turned as Ginny walked up to the old picnic table.

"Hello Ginny," Harry looked as though he had just swallowed a vomit flavored Every Flavor Bean. "I'm glad you could join us." Ginny just smiled the most beautiful smile she could manage to muster and sat down next to Hermione. Hermione was sitting across from Ron who was sitting next to Harry who was now studying Ginny's face very intensely.

"So, how've the Dursley's been to you since you arrived home from school?" Harry looked at her with an almost shocked expression on his face as though he was expecting her to have an emotional train wreck as soon as she saw him. Apparently he hadn't been expecting to see her doing fine.

"Well, of course you know the school had sent letters to all the parents informing them of what had happened. So, when I arrived at Privet Drive they were well aware of what had transpired. Uncle Vernon refused to talk to me at all. I guess he figured he didn't have that much longer to put up with me so he'd just pretend like I wasn't there at all. Aunt Petunia seldom said anything to me and buzzed around the house singing or humming most of the time. I guess she was happy. And Dudley, well, he was an ass as usual. He constantly taunted me with, 'Oh, poor Harry's got no family, he's got no school, and soon he'll have no place to live. Oh where, oh where will the little Potter boy go?' Then he would break into his own version of some song or another, whatever he could manage to remember at the time, filling in my name now and then."

"I'm sorry, Harry, that must have been horrible for you," Ginny replied. She felt bad for him, but she was beginning to feel like she didn't want to hear him complaining anymore as well. Why did she feel like she just wanted to scream at him to shut up at the top of her lungs? She knew that what she had been dealing with was not nearly as bad as what he continually had to go through, but she still felt as though he was being a whining little prat.

They had all finished eating before she arrived. Ron suddenly drew Harry's attention away from her and they left the table. Ginny let out one giant breath. Hermione turned to her and studied her face for a moment. "You were holding your breath?"

"I know I didn't even realize it. I just wanted to scream at him. I wanted to tell him how much he hurt me, I wanted to tell him I hated him. I even wanted to tell him I didn't care if I ever saw him again. I felt bad for him, but I was glad he was hurting too. Even if it wasn't because of me."

Hermione took Ginny's hands in hers and said, "Well, you did brilliantly. I couldn't even tell you weren't your old self and I think it shocked him. As much as I care for Harry, I think he was getting some sort of pleasure out of hurting you. There's only one reason I can think of for this." Ginny felt giddy all of a sudden. Was she glad she shocked him? Was she happy that she pulled it off and he didn't see what she was really feeling? _No_, she thought to herself. _I'm thankful for all of that, but that's not why I'm feeling like this_. She suddenly felt a little dizzy.

"I know I've been proven wrong, not often I might add, but here's my theory," Hermione continued. She let go of Ginny's hands to take a sip of her butterbeer. It stopped. A little bit of the wooziness in her stomach was still there, but everything else started to fade. Her heart had been pounding so hard in her chest that she thought even Hermione could hear it, but it was steadily slowing back to normal. The electricity that had been coursing through her body was gone, but she could still vividly remember what it felt like. She felt light headed and very confused. _Why did it stop when Hermione drew away her hands? More importantly, why did it start when she took my hands in hers?_

"Ginny are you okay?"

"What? Sorry, I'm fine. I guess the lack of air a few minutes ago finally caught up with me. Go on."

"You scared me for a minute. I thought you were going to pass out. You need to eat. Here, have a slice of cake while I tell you my theory." Hermione cut Ginny a slice of lemon cake and put the plate in front of her. When Ginny took the fork from Hermione she accidentally brushed her hand and there it was again. One touch sent a feeling of euphoria throughout Ginny's body.

"As I was saying, I think I know why he's taking pleasure in hurting you. I believe that he's been hurt too many times by too many people. He's lost almost everyone he ever loved. He has an evil mass murderer after him. He has no control over his own life and I believe he thought he had some control over you. So when he broke up with you he knew that it would deeply hurt you. I think he feels jealous of you because everybody loves you, you have your family, you have everything that he doesn't. I don't think at first he meant to hurt you badly, he was trying to do what would cause you less danger. Sadly though, I think he liked the fact that he could make you suffer almost as deeply as he does. See, Ron and I are his best friends, we fight all the time. Most of the past two years have been spent with one of us not talking to one or sometimes both of the others. He can't hurt us the way he hurt you, we don't feel the same way about him that you do. Hopefully he'll get over whatever it is that's going on with his emotions soon. I really hate seeing you treated like this Ginny. You mean too much to me."

_I mean too much to her_, Ginny thought, _what does that mean?_ She dropped the fork on the table and put her head in her hands. _Now I'm more confused than ever_ she thought weakly.

"Ginny, what's wrong? Are you okay?" Hermione put her hand on Ginny's shoulder and that feeling sliced through Ginny's heart this time. She quickly pulled away from Hermione.

"I-I... I need to be alone right now. You should go find Ron, I'm going to go for a walk. I need to think." Ginny looked into Hermione's eyes, those beautiful brown depths, and she lost herself for a moment. "I'm sorry Hermione, I need to...I need to go." With that she turned and ran down the path to the woods by the Weasley house. The last thing she saw was the hurt look in Hermione's eyes, those mesmerizing eyes.

_What in the name of magic am I doing_, she thought as she followed the meandering path down to the little stream that ran past The Borrow. She often sat next to the bubbling, flowing waters when she needed to collect her thoughts. She laid down on her back and picked a blade of grass from the ground. She watched it dance as she spun it between her fingers and her thoughts drifted back to the feelings she had just experienced. It was simply the single most wonderful thing she'd ever felt. It was like her first flight on a broomstick, her first correctly cast spell, the first time she caught the golden snitch, and the first time she'd ever laid eyes on Hogwarts all rolled into one. She rolled onto her side and propped her head up on one hand. She watched the water flying past her and let her other hand fall into it's cold refreshing embrace. Was she starting to develop romantic feelings for Hermione? It couldn't be, she loved Harry, but she had never felt anything so intense with him. She wanted to go back to Hermione and tell her everything she was feeling. Hermione would know what it was, she knew everything. Maybe someone had cast a spell on her. _Yes_, she thought, _that has to be it._ "This is insane," she said aloud to nobody but herself. She rolled back over onto her back. The warm sunlight on her face and the hypnotic song of the stream suddenly made her drowsy. She began to give into her feelings and drifted into a peaceful sleep. As she nodded off her last thought was of Hermione. _Yes, I've had a spell cast over me. It isn't one of magic though_. With that, she was asleep.


	4. Realization

_I would just like to say that although I love J.K. Rowling and all of her characters, imagery, storylines and the such, they have never been mine and will never be mine. Rowling has just given me a push to explore my own imagination._

_A/N: This is all I have for now. Chapter 5 is in the works. I'll get it to you as soon as possible. I don't want to rush it, I want it to be perfect. Enjoy and thanks for reading!_

Chapter 3: Realization

Ginny sat straight up. It was already dark and had begun to rain. _Thank goodness it's raining or I might have stayed out here all night_, she thought. Cursing herself for being so stupid she got up and made the trek back to her house. _Mum and dad aren't going to be pleased with me. How could I be so bloody stupid?_ As she came into view of her house she saw the only light emanating from it was from her bedroom window. That's strange she thought, who would be in my room. Then she remembered Hermione was staying in her room. The thought of seeing her didn't upset her as she thought it might. She quickened her pace and snuck in through the back door and quietly crept up to her room. As soon as she walked through her bedroom door Hermione jumped off her bed.

"Where have you been? I've been so worried about you, Ginny. I told your parents you had gone to bed early so you wouldn't get in trouble. You know you shouldn't be out alone like this with everything that's happening. I've been beside myself thinking I'd made a mistake lying for you."

"I'm sorry," was all Ginny could reply.

"Well, don't scare me like that again." Hermione had just realized that there was a pool of water gathering at Ginny's feet. "My goodness, you look like a drowned rat." She grabbed a towel that had been laying over the back of the chair at Ginny's desk. "Sit down, I'll dry you off."

"Please, you don't have to. I've already caused you enough trouble."

"No, I'll do it. I need to do something. I feel worthless because I can't fix what's wrong with you. I don't even really know what's wrong with you. I thought it was Harry, but with the way you looked at me earlier before you ran off I'm not so sure anymore. Ginny I.."

Ginny cut her off in mid-sentence. "Did anybody ever tell you that you talk too much," she said with a quirky smile. Hermione smiled back and they both broke into much needed laughter. Ginny now saw Hermione in a way she'd never thought possible. She never dreamed she could feel so much for one person just by being near them. _It's not right, I shouldn't feel this way, I can't feel this way because I know she doesn't feel it back._ Ginny suddenly had a million thoughts running through her head at once, so much that she couldn't concentrate on any one thing anymore. She felt lightheaded as she sat down so Hermione could dry her off.

"What's bothering you Ginny? I care about you, I want to help you. Whatever it is you can tell me and we'll figure it out together," Hermione said as she started to dry off Ginny's face. Ginny couldn't say anything and she just watched Hermione as she wiped the water out of her hair. When Hermione was done she wrapped the towel around Ginny's shoulders. She then, knelt down in front of her so they were face to face and she reached out to brush a wet strand of hair away from Ginny's forehead. Ginny reached up and touched Hermione's hand, scared that Hermione would pull away, but needing the physical contact that she desperately craved at that moment. Hermione never flinched never made one single movement, but allowed Ginny to guide her hand to her cheek. A sudden burst of what felt like molten lava cascaded from Ginny's cheek straight through her body. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the volcano of emotions erupting from her heart. They sat like that for what seemed a lifetime, but was not, would never be, enough time for Ginny.

"Ginny, you're shaking. Let me get you into some dry clothes and into bed so you don't catch a cold." Ginny knew it wasn't because she was cold, but she allowed Hermione to help her into her pajamas and usher her into bed. Hermione had made herself a bed on the floor and after she got Ginny into bed she began to get her own ready. Ginny turned to her side and looked down at Hermione.

"Hermione?"

"Yes Ginny."

"Would you mind sleeping with me tonight. I need someone near me. I need..."

It was now Hermione's turn to interrupt. "I know, Ginny. You don't have to say it." They looked into each other's eyes for a moment and Hermione stood up. Ginny pulled back the bed covers so Hermione could join her. She slipped in next to Ginny and pulled the covers over herself. She put her arm around Ginny and Ginny curled up into Hermione's warm embrace.

"Hermione, I'm sorry I put you through what I did today. I don't know what I'm feeling and I'm very confused."

"We don't have to talk about it tonight. I'm just glad you're safe and you're here with me where I can watch over you. There's a lot of things that need to be figured out, but we don't need to do it right now. Just rest and know that I'll be here for you when you wake up."

It took a while for Ginny to fall asleep, but soon the slow rhythmic beating of Hermione's heart lulled her into her dreams.


	5. Early Morning Wake Up

_I would just like to say that although I love J.K. Rowling and all of her characters, imagery, storylines and the such, they have never been mine and will never be mine. Rowling has just given me a push to explore my own imagination._

_A/N: Okay, chapter four is in. It's probably not what you're expecting, but I had fun with it. The next chapter will be more dramatic. Enjoy and thanks for reading._

Chapter 4: Early Morning Wake Up

Ginny slowly opened her eyes. When she had aroused from her dreams at first she thought she must still be asleep. Hermione was lying beside her still lost in the oblivion of sleep. She was lying on her back, head slightly turned toward Ginny. One arm was up over her head resting on the pillow, the other lying on her stomach. Ginny watched the slow, relaxed, risings of Hermione's chest for a few moments before slowly moving her eyes to study her face. A small ray of morning sunlight peaking through the bedroom window illuminated her face in an other worldly glow. _I wonder why I've never noticed how beautiful she is before? She has the face of an angel,_ she thought as she took in every detail. A lonely strand of hair had come to rest on Hermione's lips. Ginny watched it as it danced from the force of Hermione's breath. She reached out to brush it away when suddenly Hermione's mouth turned up at the corner for a brief moment before returning to where it had originated. The hair must have tickled her lips causing her to unconsciously twitch them. Her face went back to its calm beauty as Ginny slid the hair away. Ginny tucked her hand back under her pillow as she silently photographed this moment into the photo album of sacred memories in her mind. _I want to remember this always._

There was a sudden crash and resounding clanking noise in the floor above them. Ginny nearly jumped out of her skin as Hermione, eyes wide open, shot straight up in the bed. She must have been lying too close to the edge because the speed in which she sat up made her lose her balance and topple over. The last thing Ginny saw before Hermione disappeared from sight was her arms flailing wildly above her as she tried to keep her balance.

"Oh my goodness! Hermione are you alright?" Ginny asked trying so desperately to keep the smile threatening to break across her face, under control. As she leaned over the bed she heard a small giggle escape Hermione's lips.

Hermione was lying on the floor, legs tangled in the blanket that had been resting on her and Ginny before she fell. Face red in embarrassment as she quickly untangled herself and stood up, she looked at Ginny. Their eyes met and Ginny tried her best not to laugh, but Hermione was so obviously embarrassed that she couldn't help herself. It came from deep within her chest and burst forth so loudly that she clapped her hands over her mouth. She felt better as Hermione joined in. They laughed for a couple of minutes when Hermione threw herself down on the bed next to Ginny.

As the laughter finally faded, they both let out a contented sigh. Hermione looked over at Ginny who was lying on her back gazing at the ceiling and asked, "What on earth was that noise? It nearly scared me to death. Woke me right up out of a sound sleep."

Ginny turned her head towards Hermione, face still red from their hearty laugh session, and replied, "The house ghost in the attic. I hate it when he does that. He usually reserves the early morning wake up calls for Ron, but sometimes gives them to me instead. I guess he gets tired of Ron's reactions and decides to see what he can get out of me. I've never fallen out of bed though!" She then stuck out her tongue.

"Oh you little snit!" Hermione exclaimed, mouth and eyes wide open. "It's your turn now!" she laughed, tickling Ginny anywhere she could reach. Ginny started squirming and trying to move away, but Hermione kept finding all the sensitive places that she couldn't protect. Tears in her eyes from so much laughter and almost out of breath, Ginny finally fell to the floor.

"Now we're even!" Hermione got up and put out her hand to help Ginny to her feet. As she took Hermione's outstretched hand, her breath caught in her throat. Hermione's face was practically glowing as she smiled at Ginny, her face flushed in all the right places. Ginny didn't want to let go of Hermione's hand. It was so soft and petite. Nothing like Ginny's fingers, calloused rough from playing Quidditch.

Suddenly, Ginny heard her mother's ringing voice. "What is going on in here? We heard everything from the kitchen. It sounded like the house ghost made a friendly call to you and then there were two thuds. I think they could have heard you laughing all the way to the Ministry of Magic! What was so funny?"

Ginny regretfully released Hermione's hand and turned to her mother who was positively beaming because her daughter was in such and obviously good mood.

"Hermione feel out of bed from fright when the noise started. It was so funny mum. You should have seen the look on her face!"

Hermione blushed crimson once again. Ginny loved the fact that she was so easily embarrassed. The face she made and the brightness the apples of her cheeks reached made Ginny's heart melt.

"Well, I'm glad you're feeling better Ginny. You two girls come down to breakfast now. Harry and Ron are just finishing up. I've already told them they are to de-gnome the garden today. They weren't very happy about it because they are invading the garden in extremely large numbers this year. It should take them all day to accomplish. That leaves you two with some uninterrupted girl time. Ginny, I want you to enjoy the beautiful day outside. You've been too long in your room."

Mrs. Weasley then turned to leave saying to nobody in particular, "Thank goodness for Hermione." They heard her humming all the way down the stairs.

_Yes_, Ginny thought, _thank goodness for Hermione._


	6. The Confession

_I would just like to say that although I love J.K. Rowling and all of her characters, imagery, storylines and the such, they have never been mine and will never be mine. Rowling has just given me a push to explore my own imagination._

_A/N: Oh, the drama...it's killing me...what will happen? Sorry you'll have to wait. I had to quit writing in order to pick my sister upfrom work. I decided to try and get these chapters in beforeI__left to keep y'all busy while I work on the next one. Don't shoot me, please!_

Chapter 5: The Confession

The conversation at the breakfast table was nothing more than idle banter. They discussed what they thought the next school term would be like, the wonderful weather outside, and the dejected looks the boys had as they left the house to de-gnome the garden. All mention of the events of the past year carefully avoided.

Finally, as the girls had finished their meal and helped Mrs. Weasley clear the table, she shooed them out of the house. As they exited the kitchen door, they saw the boys exasperatingly flinging gnomes over the garden fence, only to have them run right back.

"Oh bloody hell, this is going to take ages!" Ron angrily cursed. His face was even redder than his hair and sweat was steadily dripping down his forehead. Harry wasn't fairing any better. Ginny snickered as the gnome Harry had just thrown over the fence hurriedly crept back under.

"What are you laughing at?" he angrily spat at her.

"Harry Potter!" Hermione scolded him. He gave her a disgusted look as he turned to grab the gnome who had just kicked him in his ankle as it ran past.

"Well, I'd like to see you girls do any better," Ron sighed.

"I wouldn't want to take away any of the fun you're having," Ginny said, failing miserably to hide the smile creeping over her lips.

He squinched up his face and shot out his tongue. As the girls walked away, Ginny called over her shoulder, "Ron, you'd better not spend too much time with those gnomes. You're beginning to look like one!"

"Oi, what a bloody prat," Ron mumbled as he turned back to his tedious chore.

They walked along in silence for a while when Hermione finally broke it. "Ginny, where did you run off to yesterday?"

"Oh, it's just some place I found a few years ago. I had run off after a fight the twins and I had gotten into. They had tried out a new invention in my room. It backfired, exploding in my face and singeing off my eyebrows. We got into quite a row and all they could do was make fun of my non-existent eyebrows. It took weeks for them to grow back properly. I'm surprised they never told you about it. They were quite proud of themselves. I go there to clear my thoughts and think about things."

"Does anyone else know about it?"

"Well, I suspect mum does. She knows everything that goes on around here. As far as I can tell, nobody else does."

Hermione stopped and turned to Ginny. "Will you take me there?"

"Well…" she replied with a devilish grin plastered over her face. "I don't know, it's sort of a secret." She knew full well she would take her there. She would take Hermione anywhere just to spend a few moments in her presence.

"Oh come on," Hermione squealed as she playfully shoved Ginny's shoulder.

"Well, I suppose I could, but only if you swear to keep it a secret."

"I swear, not a word. I promise!" Hermione exclaimed gleefully as she clapped her hands together.

Pretending to ponder over it for a minute as she acted like she was changing her mind, Ginny used those spare seconds to admire Hermione's beauty. Hermione had really grown out of that clumsy adolescence all children are plagued with. Her skin was unmarringly smooth. She had beautiful brown doe eyes that gave away her every emotion, and her hair had lost some of its bushiness. It was much more manageable now. She was growing into a very breathtakingly gorgeous young woman. _Every time I look at her she grows more beautiful,_ Ginny thought blissfully.

"What are you waiting for?" Hermione asked disturbing her thoughts.

"Just waiting to see how long it would take you to say something," she quickly covered up. "Follow me!" Off she ran, hair flying behind her.

"Ginny Weasley, you're completely incorrigible sometimes!" Hermione yelled as she gave chase.

As they approached the small clearing both girls slowed to a stop next to each other to catch their breath. When Hermione could finally speak she exclaimed, "My Ginny, I see why you come here. It's absolutely breathtaking!"

Ginny thought, _it's nothing compared to you._ The clearing was surrounded by voluminous oak trees, bushes dotting the ground here and there. A few rose bushes grew wild by the edge of the bubbling stream. Birds were merrily singing a chorus to each other as squirrels ran about collecting their winter stores.

Both girls slowly walked to the edge of the stream silently taking off their shoes and socks and sitting down to let their feet plunge into the refreshing water. Ginny thought, _I should tell her now about everything I'm feeling. What if she doesn't feel the same? She probably doesn't, I'm sure of it. What if it makes things awkward? What if she's disgusted with me? No, Ginny Weasley, she would never be like that. She's not that judgmental of people. She has put up with Ron for all these years. I should just do it, she deserves to know. She's concerned about me, she cares. She won't treat me any differently, I know it. If she doesn't feel the same way about me I don't think it will really change anything. I'm not really sure myself, of what I'm feeling._ Ginny finally decided to tell her before she completely lost her nerve, resigned to the fact that Hermione wouldn't return the feelings.

"Hermione?"

"Hmmm…" she lazily replied, gazing up at the clouds.

"I-I have something I need to tell you."

Hermione turned to her expectantly.

"I don't really know how to say it."

"Ginny, you know you can always tell me anything. I care about you, you don't have to be scared."

"Well," she said heart beating wildly in her chest, "This is kind of hard." _Oh just tell her you bloody ass, get it over with_ she berated herself. "I think…I think I like you Hermione Granger." She held her breath for Hermione's reply.

"I like you too Ginny. You're great fun to be around and much better company than Harry or even Ron sometimes. You're probably my best friend."

_What_, Ginny thought. _For being so smart, she's a bloody idiot sometimes. She doesn't get it?_ She slowly let out her breath.

Ginny looked down at her lap and began to fiddle with the hem of her skirt. "I don't mean as friends. Hermione, I'm so confused, I think I want you to be more than just my friend." She was scared to look up at the girl's face.

Hermione placed her hand gently on Ginny's shoulder and asked, "What do you mean?"

_Bloody hell_, Ginny thought, _how bloody clear do I have to make this? It's hard enough already._ She could feel the tears damning up as she looked into Hermione's eyes. "I think I'm developing feelings for you Hermione. Stronger than any I've ever felt for Harry," she said, voice breaking to barely a whisper. Then the tears broke through and began to fall to her lap.


	7. The Lies of the Heart

_I would just like to say that although I love J. K. Rowling and all of her characters, imagry, storylines and the such, they have never been mine and will never be mine. Rowling has just given me a push to explore my own imagination._

A/N: Well, I finally finished this chapter. It took me quite a bit longer than I expected. I think it came out perfectly though. I almost cried myself, writing it. I hope it moves you the way I meant it to. I'm really anxious to hear your opinions on this one. Three new chapters today. I hope that's enough to satisfy your curiosity for now. Thanks everyone! I'm too tired to thank you each individually, but know that I appreciate you!

Chapter 6: The Lies of the Heart

Hermione saw her friend start to weep. She didn't really know what to do or how to react. Then her heart took over where her mind had temporarily lapsed and she reached out and enveloped the sobbing red head in her arms.

"Shhh… Ginny don't cry. Why are you crying?" Hermione began to rock her as she had on the train what seemed and eternity ago. She felt Ginny wrap her arms around her waist and she tightened her embrace. She began to rub her hand gently up and down Ginny's spine trying to sooth her. Ginny just began to cry harder and Hermione began to panic a little. _What do I do? What do I say to her? I have to make her stop crying, she's going to make herself sick._

"Ginny please, please calm down." No response. "Ginny please, you're scaring me." Ginny's head had fallen on to Hermione's left shoulder when Hermione had wrapped her arms around her. She slowly turned her head and placed her lips next to Ginny's ear. "Ginny, listen to me. You don't have to cry. You must calm down before you hurt yourself. I told you last night not to scare me again, but you're doing it now. Please Ginny, don't do this to yourself." _Is her breathing starting to regulate? Thank goodness, I think it is._

Ginny slowly pulled away, eyes downcast, still sniffling and trembling slightly. Hermione said nothing and waited for Ginny to make the next move. _Ginny Weasley just opened up her heart and bared her very soul to me and all I could say was don't cry? Of course she would cry, she's probably petrified after what she just told me._

Hermione Granger was a brilliant girl with a very rational mind. Her mind ruled her actions, most of the time that is. She learned from books, not experience like most people. She gained knowledge and in turn gained confidence in herself. Matters of the heart were a different story altogether. She was a wreck when it came to her feelings. If she couldn't explain or understand the way she felt, she pushed it aside as unnecessary and not worth her time. That was the trouble with Ronald Weasley. She couldn't explain why she felt about him the way she did. She tried for years to make the feelings go away. She dated other boys trying to force rules upon her heart. She told herself she had to date so and so for certain reasons, but she just never felt the same for them.

He was the complete opposite of her. He hated school where she excelled at it. She cherished books where he would rather use them as a doodle pad. He loved Quidditch when she didn't have an athletic bone in her body. He was well liked my most of their housemates when they held her in disdain because she was so much smarter than them. He was expressive of his emotions and she kept hers hidden away. He was brave and confident when the need arose and she usually tended to panic when under a great deal of pressure.

That day after Dumbledore's funeral when he had finally confessed his feelings for her, she had made the decision to ignore her brain and follow her heart. She thought she had made the proper choice although it went against all the "rules" of who she should date and why. After their short goodbye and his clumsy kiss at King's Cross Station, she began to think otherwise. She remembered thinking _my heart led me to this? Sweaty palms and a sloppy kiss?_ She had felt nothing of what she had expected she would. After she had returned home and spent several days thinking about it, she had decided to give it another chance. There had to be something from all these years of pining over him, even though she had vehemently denied it to herself for so long.

When she arrived at The Burrow yesterday Ron had hugged her as soon as he saw her. She did feel safe in his arms, but something was lacking. He had told her how much he missed her and he hadn't stopped thinking about her since their kiss. She remembered looking into his big puppy dog eyes and thinking he was rather handsome when he gazed at her like that. He leaned in to kiss her and she tried to shut off her mind as she kissed him back. _There it was_, she had thought, _a spark, a small one. More like a flicker, but it was there. Maybe because he wasn't nervous this time and I tried not to think about it so much._

"Hermione Granger," he had said, "You're prettier than the snitch in Harry's hand. Being with you is better than winning the house cup!" Then he had taken her hand and led her into the house. She remembered thinking, _what a romantic_ and rolling her eyes at her own sarcasm.

When Mrs. Weasley had told her about Ginny keeping herself locked up in her room the whole time she'd been home, she had felt a sense of pain in her heart for the girl. Knowing how confusing and utterly annoying boys were, especially Ron and Harry, she wanted to help Ginny through her depression. Ginny being the only girl that Hermione had ever befriended, she'd always felt a special bond with her. Hermione had always held the youngest Weasley in a special place in her heart. She'd always adored the lovable red head's fiery personality and felt that Ginny, out of all of her housemates, was as close to her equal as she could get. Ginny did well in her studies, was excellent in spell casting, almost as studious as Hermione, and wonderful to talk to. She enjoyed Ginny's company and hadn't realized how much she would miss it after she returned home to the house she shared with her parents who didn't understand her in the least.

Hermione had always felt that if she needed to, she could share anything with Ginny. When Ginny had run off yesterday, leaving Hermione sitting alone at the picnic table, she had almost felt betrayed. The way Ginny had looked at her sent shivers down her spine. There had been so much confusion and pain in her eyes that Hermione had wanted to run after her. Her mind had told her otherwise. _She needs to be alone right now. She doesn't need you. For some reason you're just making things worse._ She had felt a great sense of longing to hold the girl and comfort her. To whisper in her ear that everything would be alright as long as she stayed in her arms. She remembered thinking that Ginny had looked so calm, collected, and surprisingly beautiful when she had walked up to the picnic table. Hermione hadn't blamed Harry for being in shock, but she had hated him for making Ginny feel so dreadful.

After Ginny had vanished down the path, Hermione had gone to find Ron. He and Harry were at the hidden Quidditch pitch near The Burrow. She had sat and watched her boyfriend and Harry play, her thoughts wandering back to Ginny. Why did she keep thinking about how the freckles splashed across her face and the way the sun's rays reflected warmly off of Ginny's fiery red hair? _She's just my friend so why is her smile burned into my retinas?_

When she and the boys had returned to the house later that night, she had rushed up to Ginny's room. She was anxious to discuss her feelings about Ron and hear Ginny's take on her situation. When she entered the desolate room her spirits had fallen. She had begun to panic because Ginny had not returned. With all the Death Eater attacks that had been happening lately, her heart had begun to race as all the awful scenarios she pictured Ginny in, began to race through her head. When Mrs. Weasley had called for Ginny, without thinking, Hermione had lied to her and said she had gone to bed early. To pass the time she had made herself a bed on Ginny's floor. Then she had begun to pace back and forth, mind racing with so many possibilities. She had finally collapsed on Ginny's bed, feelings of guilt eating at her heart for letting Ginny run off by herself. Then suddenly she heard the doorknob turning and Ginny, wet and bedraggled, walked through the door.

She had been so scared and worried that she angrily chastised Ginny for running off and scaring her so badly. When she finally noticed how lost and pathetic the girl looked, her heart melted with sadness. When she had knelt down and brushed Ginny's hair away from her face and Ginny had touched her hand, it was like time itself had stopped for her. All that she could focus on was Ginny's face, eyes closed, guiding her hand towards her cheek. Her mind ceased to function, all thoughts rational or otherwise, dissipated. It was just Ginny, it had always been just Ginny. When her fingertips brushed Ginny's cheek it was like a thunderbolt cutting through the sky. A jolt of electricity wildly sliced through Hermione's conscious and she was reeling in space. When the moment was over, she got Ginny into dry clothes and put her to bed. When Ginny had asked her to join her she had instantly agreed. She had felt a sudden violent need to protect the younger girl. When Ginny tried to talk, Hermione had quieted her not wanting to ruin the moment by thinking about anything. Hermione knew that thinking would destroy everything.

As she looked at Ginny now, head still bowed, wiping tears away from her eyes, she thought, _how can I tell her all of this? What about Ron? I can't do that to him. I can't betray him like that. Think Hermione, think of a way out of this. You can't tell her, it would only cause her too much pain in the long run. You can't be together, people won't accept it, it's not natural._

"Ginny?"

"What?" she whimpered.

"Can we talk about this? Are you able to?" _What am I going to say?_

Ginny finally looked up at her. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot, pain seeping from them. "I already know Hermione. I'm just your friend. You don't feel the same. You're sorry, but you've got Ron and I should work things out with Harry. I'm just reflecting my feelings for Harry on to you because you were there for me when I needed you. Am I right? Isn't that what you were going to say?" She gazed into Hermione's eyes looking for something, anything to prove her wrong.

_NO_, her mind screamed in reply. _That's not what I was going to say. I don't know what I was going to say because you said it for me._ The only thing she could do was look away from Ginny and sadly reply, "I'm so sorry Ginny." Her heart was breaking. _That's not what I wanted to say at all_, she thought.

"We should go back to the house. It's almost time for lunch."

"No, I think I'll stay here for a while."

"Ginny, you know you're still my best friend. Nothing has changed between us."

"Yeah, I know…" The red head was now gazing at the stream, her face a turmoil of emotions.

"Don't be too long."

"I won't," Ginny whispered.

Hermione could tell she clearly wanted to be alone. She turned and started the journey back to the house, the pieces of her shattered heart marking the trail behind her.


	8. Acceptance

_Okay, I don't own anything in the "Potterverse" as I've already stated in the previous chapters. I'm just a girl with an idea in her head that had to be put to paper...er...computer screen._

_A/N: Sorry it's taken so long. Life has been hectic. I have been writing this story in the spare moments I get. I've also, thought up two other stories. One of them I have on here already called The Disappearance. It will be a chaptered fic as well, and the other is a humor one-shot that I'm in the process of writing between this one and the other one. Hopefully it will be up soon. Y'all have been totally awesome, and I'm really sorry I've made you wait so long. The next chapter is almost finished and should be up soon. In the meantime, y'all check out my other fic! Please... I'd really appreciate someopinions on it. I would like to keep going with it, but I don't know if I'm just waisting my time. Thanks for all the kind words, and if you have any advice on something you'd like me to try in this fic, my eyes are open to y'all'ssuggestions. Until next time, enjoy!_

Chapter 8: Acceptance

Ginny was quietly sitting in the same spot she had been all afternoon. She hadn't risen since Hermione had left her side. The warm sunlight had dried her tears leaving salty trails down her cheeks. Her eyes still stung, but she expected they would for quite a while. She had never cried that hard in her life. She lost control over her motor functions when she had finally told Hermione how she felt.

It was the most horrific feeling. Breathing had first become a labor, then she felt her throat begin to close. Already crying uncontrollably, she had been unable to even gasp for air. As the last bubbles of oxygen began seeping out of her lungs, she had felt the bile begin to rise from her stomach and burn her throat. She had never felt so completely and utterly out of control. It was as if her fear of Hermione's reaction had solidly formed and completely taken control over her body. She had begun to panic until she had heard Hermione whisper in her ear. The strength in the older girls voice had broken through the fog that had surrounded her mind as she began to lose consciousness. Hermione's voice had driven back her fear and enabled her to think again. She had painfully forced her lungs back to life after they had abandoned her, and begun to breathe once more.

Ginny saw movement out of the corner of her eye and quickly turned her head towards the intrusion. A small squirrel was staring back at her. It had ventured close to her to see if the invader into its home was a threat. Apparently, curiosity sated, it had determined that the young woman was no danger. The squirrel turned from her and climbed upon a fallen tree limb that was resting halfway into the stream.

As she watched it rapidly dipping its forepaws into the water and washing its face, her mind began to wander. The brown eyes the squirrel had used to study her and its flitting bushy brown tail both reminded her of Hermione.

"What do I do now?" she quietly asked the squirrel. It paused from its bath and turned its head to her for a moment. Ginny held her breath, worried that she would scare the little creature away. After a few moments it resumed its bath once again.

She sat there for a few minutes gazing up at the infinite blue sky and was absorbed with her thoughts._ I didn't think it was going to be that bloody difficult. I don't know what I was expecting from her. It must have been a terribly odd situation for her to deal with. I do feel better now that she knows, at least I'm not hiding anything from her anymore._

"Maybe I should apologize to her," she said to the passing clouds.

_Bollocks Ginny Weasley, you have no reason to apologize. You did nothing wrong_, her mind fought back, a little of that Weasley stubbornness coming out.

"Eergh, I'm so stupid sometimes," she blurted out as she pounded her fist into the ground beside her.

Her sudden outburst finally scared her tiny companion away. She watched the tip of its tail fade away under the rose bush growing next to her, and slowly stood up. After putting her shoes and socks on, she studied the wild bush for a moment and turned to leave. Second guessing herself, she turned back around and hurriedly plucked a rose from it.

* * *

"Ronald Weasley!" she heard through the old kitchen door of The Burrow. "How many times do I have to tell you to wait until the supper is on the table before touching it?" 

_Have I really been gone that long_? It felt like only minutes since she had opened up to Hermione, not hours.

"But mum, I'm dying of starvation. De-gnoming the garden is hard work. A man builds an appetite."

Ginny opened up the door to see her mother glaring menacingly at Ron, both hands firmly on her hips. Ron had one hand in the cooking pot trying desperately to snatch a small morsel before being driven away, and a battle ready look on his face.

"A man? Oh really Ron, a man wouldn't be caught nicking food out of the pan. A man would have enough manners to eat properly at the table. Honestly, I don't know how Hermione puts up with you!"

Ginny knew if Ron didn't back down he was going to receive a severe thrashing in a moment. Her mother was on the war path. So did Ron, for he immediately backed away and shamefacedly mumbled an incoherent apology under his breath.

At the mention of Hermione's name, Ginny had turned to inspect the room for the whereabouts of the older girl. She found her sitting at the table, next to Harry, reading some ancient tome she had apparently brought with her. Hermione hadn't even looked up from the book as Ron had received the thorough chewing out from his mother.

"Ginny, good, you've returned just in time for supper," her mother said looking very relieved.

Hermione finally took her eyes away from the book long enough to look up, and her eyes locked with Ginny's. For once, Ginny couldn't read the other girl's blank face and she sadly looked away.

"I'm not really feeling well mum. I'm going to pass on supper and go to bed for the night."

Mrs. Weasley, a concerned look clouding over her face asked, "What's wrong love?"

"I think I was just too long in the sun. I've a horrid headache." She wasn't good at lying, especially to her mother, but she thought it would work.

"Okay then dear, but if you need anything just call. I'll send Hermione up with some food later incase you find your appetite."

"Yes mum. Goodnight." _I hope I'm asleep before she comes to bed._

When she reached her room she sat down at her desk and took the rose from her pocket. She laid it onthe cluttered mess before herand leaned against the back of the chair slowly closing her eyes. _I will apologize to her, but not for the way I feel._ She openedher eyes and begansearching for a blank piece of parchment. She spied one under her well worn copy of Quidditch through the Ages and snatched it out from underneath the book. She ignored the book as it fell to the floor, intent upon what she was going to write.

She furrowed her eyebrows and absently ran her fingers through her hair as she carefully contemplatedwhat to say.

Dear Hermione,

I'm not quite sure exactly what I want to say to you other than I apologize for today. I'm not sorry for the way I feel Hermione. You give me something to look forward to when I close my eyes at night. Your feelings, friendship, and most importantly you, are very special to me. I really wanted just to apologize for putting you in that position. I know you love Ron and it was completely presumptuous of me to think you would return my feelings. I hope I haven't made you feel uncomfortable or pushed you from me in any way. Whether you realize it or not, I need your friendship. I'm still me even though you know my innermost secret now. I'm still the same person I was before I told you. I hope you can forgive me and find it in your heart to accept me as I am, feelings and all. They sort of come with the package.

Always,

Ginny

After reading her letter several times she folded it in half and placed it on Hermione's pillow, setting the rose on top of it. _I hope the rose isn't too much,_ she though as she climbed into bed totally exhausted.

Ginny accepted the fact that Hermione didn't feel the same way about her, but she wasn't going to act like she'd never told her. She felt a closeness to Hermione now that she hadn't expected. The older girl knew everything there was to know about her now, inside and out. Nobody else, not even her mother, knew her so completely. She didn't want to act differently around Hermione, she didn't want the friendship that they had to diminish in any way. She wished beyond hope that this event would just bring them closer than they already were. It had hurt at first that Hermione didn't return her feelings, but that pain had faded as she realized Hermione wasn't going anywhere. Ginny knew she may act differently for a little while, Hermione was the kind of person that needed time to process information like this, but she knew in her heart that Hermione would never abandon her. She still cared very deeply for her and still wanted to be a part of Hermione's life, whether it be friend or more. She wondered why she wasn't angry with her, but she knew that it was because there was just something about Hermione that made it so she could never be angry with her. She assumed that she made Hermione feel uncomfortable by revealing all that she did and was angry towards herself for putting anything but laughter on the older girl's face. Little did she know that Hermione was downstairs feeling the same way. At first she thought what she was feeling wasn't right, but that quickly passed. She didn't care if Hermionehad beena boy, or girl, or goblin, or centaur, for that matter, she still loved her and she wasn't afraid to let it be known. Judging from Hermione's reaction, she felt she'd better keep it between herself and the older girl though. Ginny was the type of girl that the things people said and thought about her didn't matter in the least. She'd grown up hearing remarks from people such as Draco Malfoy about her family and herself. It didn't faze her anymore, it had made her a stronger person. That's why she was able to tell Hermione, she felt comfortable enough in her own skin to express who she really was. The Sorting Hat had definitely done justice by Ginny Weasley by putting her in Gryffindor. She was full of self pride, she loved herself for who she was and she had bravery that most people strive for. She wasn't just brave in the fact that she could face dangerous situations, she was also brave in the fact that she could overcome her inner fears and it only made her stronger.

Ginny turned her back to the door, sleep invading her body. The last thing she thought about before she went to sleep was the way she felt about Hermione. _Do I really…love…her… _Then she was off to visit her dreams. Dreams of one day being able to express her love for Hermione openly.


	9. The Missing Piece

_I don't own anything J. K. Rowling created...blah, blah, blah... You get my drift._

_A/N: Are we getting close to something here? I'll leave that for you to ponder as I write some more. Oh, by the way, I've created a section in my profile for replying to all of y'all. Check it out, I think I got everyone!_

Chapter 9: The Missing Piece

Hermione headed up the stairs, food in hand, dreading to see Ginny. She wanted so badly to talk to her, to tell her everything that she had kept secret earlier, but didn't have the courage. _Sometimes, I wonder why I was put in Gryffindor. The Sorting Hat must have seen something in me that I haven't found yet. Maybe there is two types of bravery. I obviously don't have the kind that will allow me to deal with my inner demons._ Little did she know that all she had to do was look deeper. The courage she was doubting she had was just waiting to be brought to the surface. She just needed to let go of the rules she ran her life by and realize that there were no rules when it came to love. There was no way to control her feelings and she should just embrace them. Love has many forms and if she was lucky enough to find it, she should hold it close no matter what face it had. She stood outside Ginny's door listening intently for any evidence that the girl within was still awake.

Hermione often felt like there was something missing to her soul. Something that was keeping her from truly knowing who she was and all she was capable of accomplishing once reaching that completion. She had often times contemplated this and had begun to think it was because she didn't know how to love. It was something she couldn't learn from a book. Love was something she had to learn from her heart and that scared her.

Of course she loved her family and friends dearly. That was something that comes naturally, it was a given in life. The act of being in love was something totally foreign to her. Hermione just didn't understand how a person could utterly and completely let themselves be open with another person, how two people could care so deeply for one another that their two hearts would become one. One breath, one heartbeat, one soul. In essence, one life.

Being so vulnerable to one person was difficult for her mind to fathom. She had always kept her feelings locked away from the grasps of other people. Yes, she was open with her friends, but never truly let them know the extent of what she was feeling at any given moment. Ron and Harry had always thought it was just because she was so intellectual that they didn't understand her reactions or sudden outbursts, not to mention she was a girl. Sometimes they had thought she was completely daft and just shrugged it off. They couldn't know that it was because she was scared to let her true self be known, that she had set boundaries on her heart.

Ginny Weasley, on the other hand, had unknowingly broken those boundaries and invaded the recesses of the emptiness in Hermione's heart. For one moment in time Hermione had felt complete. She had honestly known what it was like to really love somebody. She hadn't just held Ginny's cheek in her hand, she had held her heart. _And I just threw it away_, she thought as she opened Ginny's door as quietly as she could.

She was glad to see the girl's slumbering form turned away from her. She didn't think she could face Ginny with all the confusion that was bogging her mind down. She knew what she wanted, she just didn't know how to go about getting it. There would be too many questions, and too many judgments, too many eyes staring at her, forcing her to reveal the person under the surface. She longed to tell Ginny, to hold her, to feel like a whole person again, but she was more worried about the reactions of certain people, especially Ron. _Will I ever get my head and my heart on the same wavelength? My heart is saying that what we could have would be something beautiful. I felt it, I felt complete…Ginny is my missing piece. But, it's wrong Hermione, on so many different levels. What would Ron think, it's his little sister? Why am I so caught up on Ron, look at how he's treated me over the years. He finally admitted how he felt though. I wish I could do that. Oh Ginny, why? Why can't I just tell you I love you? I've loved you for so long now, I just haven't realized it. What am I so scared of? What would mum and dad think if they found out I was in love with another girl? They want grandchildren so badly… What? Why am I thinking about children? Hermione Granger, SHUT UP! SHUT UP, YOU CAN'T HANDLE ALL OF THESE THOUGHTS, IT'S TOO MUCH AT ONE TIME. I DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT ANYMORE, I DON'T WANT TO THINK AT ALL._

She suddenly felt a violent wave of nausea sweep over her body. She set the plate of food on Ginny's desk, the same desk Ginny had used to write Hermione's letter. She felt dizzy, she felt like she just wanted to scream at the injustice of it all. She didn't want to care what other people would think, but she couldn't stop herself. _Ginny should be the only person whose thoughts I care about. I'm hurting her by doing this to her. I want to bring that wonderful smile back to her face and that devilish glare back to her eyes. I hate seeing her eyes so sad and dull, it's not the Ginny I know. I feel like I don't know this Ginny, the one I've created. It's all my fault because I just can't get over myself._

Hermione couldn't stand anymore, she wanted to crawl under her blankets and never face another day again. _Now I know why Ginny kept herself locked in her room the past couple of weeks, it's exactly what I want to do._ As she looked back towards Ginny she noticed the rose on her pillow and the note beneath it. She tentatively reached for them both. She read the note first. _Ginny, how could you think that I wouldn't accept you, or forgive you for that matter? I have nothing to forgive you for, you didn't do anything wrong…I'm the one who should beg for forgiveness. _

She realized the rose was one of the wild roses from Ginny's special place. Hermione thought it was beautiful. A white rose. To Hermione it stood for the goodness in Ginny's heart, and the purity of the love that Hermione felt for her. As she breathed in its sweet aroma she almost started to cry. She opened the trunk containing her things and reverently pulled out a silver trinket box. It was one of her most prized possessions and she kept it hidden from sight. Inside this box contained the few things that Hermione treasured above anything else. Her acceptance letter to Hogwarts, her first excellent mark in class, and a picture of her, Ron, Harry, and Ginny taken at The Burrow after their second year of school. That was the year that Ginny had almost been lost to them because of Tom Riddle's diary. It was also the year the girls had started to form the friendship that they both treasured now. The rose that Ginny gave her would now take it's place among her most beloved belongings, along with the letter.

Hermione quickly found a piece of parchment from her trunk and a spare quill and ink and hastily scribbled a letter of her own.

Dear Ginny,

We really need to talk. When you get this I'll already be awake. Meet me at your special place. Please, don't beat yourself up about this anymore.

Hermione

It was simple and short, but it conveyed her message. She placed it on Ginny's dresser. She knew the girl would have to get dressed in the morning so there was no chance she would miss it. Ginny's letter was enough for Hermione, she had decided to face her fears.


	10. Collision

_I don't own anything that JKR has created._

_A/N: Wow, I know this has taken a while. I had originally started this chapter out to be when Hermione would tell Ginny everything, but it turned itself into something completely different. I felt that I had made Harry completely out of character in the beginning of the fic, and I had to justify myself to further the story. The rest is coming I promise. I finally have a day off of life and I intend to use it to write. Also, I realized that I messed up in my chapter count. This is the actual chapter number. Now I have two chapter nines! Lol Eh, oh well…the story must go on. Thanks for reading everyone!_

Chapter 9: Collision

It was nearly dawn when Hermione slipped out the kitchen door of The Burrow, making sure not to wake anyone. She knew she would be able to leave before Ginny was awake because she knew her own mind. She knew she would be up all night planning the best way to do what she was plotting in her head. She was figuring out what words to use, how to say it, she was really playing the whole scene over and over in her head, trying to memorize every little detail so that it would go according to plan. Hermione lived by planning for everything.

Ginny awoke to the sunlight warming her face and the smell of breakfast wafting over her nose. She sat up and looked towards Hermione's makeshift bed. The girl was gone. _She must be downstairs already; probably wanted to minimize the time she spends alone with me. Oh well, I'll give her some time. I am terribly hungry, and I can smell breakfast. Mmmm…fried eggs… _Her stomach crying out for food because it had been denied two meals the day before, she got out of bed and headed towards her dresser.

She didn't notice Hermione's note at first. After selecting what she intended to wear for the day, she tried to close the drawer. It wouldn't budge. "You stupid bloody drawer!" she exclaimed as she tried to close it. "Just…bleeding…close…" she gasped between breaths, as she strained against the drawer. Her teeth were gritted together, and her face was turning purple in a sea of freckles, as she used all the strength she had to force the drawer closed. It finally gave way beneath her, and shut with a loud crack. Ginny almost lost her balance and caught herself by the edge of the dresser. Her impact when the drawer finally closed, sent a tremor throughout all of the trinkets adorning the top of her dresser, and jarred the letter, which had been close the edge to begin with, to the ground.

"What's this?" she asked the room at large, as she bent down to pick it up.

She saw her name written on the outside of the note. Immediately recognizing Hermione's hand writing, she hastily opened it up. _She wants to talk? I wonder what she could possibly have to say. She doesn't want me to beat myself up about it anymore so she probably pities me. I don't want anybody's pity, least of all hers. _Never the less, curiosity peeked, she quickly finished dressing and tore through her bedroom door. In her rush to meet Hermione, she hadn't noticed Harry had just been passing by her room on his way downstairs, and she collided with him. They both cascaded into the opposite wall, and landed on the floor in a squirming heap of entangled limbs and identical grunts of pain.

"Oh Harry, I'm dreadfully sorry. I didn't see you there," she apologized, face red in embarrassment. He was the last person she had been expecting to see at that very moment. She quickly untangled herself from him and drew back, coming to rest upon her knees in front of him.

"Sorry for what? Not paying any attention to where you were going, or nearly crushing my skull into the wall in your mad rush to… Where are you off to in such a hurry, anyway?" he questioned her, straightening his glasses which had been hanging on by only one ear.

"Why should I tell you…" her voice trailed off as she looked down the stairwell. She could hear Ron and her mother arguing about food again. Thankfully, that argument had covered up the sound of Ginny and Harry's collision, and left them a chance to have a little privacy, if only for a moment. She had been wanting to find out exactly why Harry had turned from her, and why he had been treating her with such contempt since he had arrived. She turned back to him and gazed into his sage colored eyes, eyes that had held her captive so many times in the past. They were now eyes that held her with quiet aloofness. "You don't really care about me anymore," she finally finished her thought.

"I don't care? I DON'T CARE? Ginny, all I ever did was care. I cared too much, that's how I got myself into this mess," he replied, his voice cracking on the last word.

"Harry, what are you going on about now? You're more confusing than Ron sometimes, and that's saying something. If you care so much, why did you leave me, why did you break my heart intentionally?"

"Ginny, you're the most important thing in my life; I love you. That is exactly why I can't be with you. You would be the first person Voldemort would go after, and the last person I would want him to lay his hands on. You are the only thing I want, and the one thing I can't have," irony pervading his last statement.

"I would have done anything for you, gone anywhere with you, even confronted Voldemort by your side. I would have held onto you for all of eternity, but you forced me to let go. I sort of understood it, but that didn't lessen the fact that it hurt, Harry. You didn't even owl while you were at the Dursley's to see if I was okay. Then, when you arrived here, you weren't exactly very nice to me. You haven't been the Harry Potter that I fell in love with lately, and that hurts worse than your leaving me."

"I know…" he said, as he turned away from her.

"Look at me Harry. Tell me why. What did I do to deserve your anger?" Ginny was getting angry herself. "I think I deserve an explanation of why you've been so nasty to me recently."

It seemed to Ginny, that the world had gone completely silent as she awaited his answer. Anger boiled inside of her, but she just barely kept it in check. She tried to assume a posture of nonchalance to hide the raging emotions inside of her.

"I did it for your own good, and mine as well I guess."

"WHAT?" she yelled, the dam holding back her anger finally breaking. "That's not an answer. You're evading the question."

"Ginny, please let me finish," he broke into her venomous retort. "I understand you're angry. Please, try to calm down enough for me to finish."

Ginny had threateningly crossed her arms over her chest. She was barely containing the gauntlet of emotions inside of her, and wanted to lash out at him. Deciding to let him try to explain before she let him have a piece of her mind, she kept her mouth shut.

"Ginny," he said as he placed his hand on her arm.

"Don't touch me," she spat at him as she violently shoved his hand off of her arm. "Explain."

"Sorry," he said morosely as he settled his back against the wall. "I haven't been nice to you because I'm mad at myself. I can't believe I actually left you, but I know that it's what I had to do. With Voldemort after me, I can't have people close to me. I've already lost most of the people I loved to him, and I don't want to lose anyone else. I don't want to lose you or your family, or Hermione for that matter. You guys are the only family I have left. I know I can't do anything about your mum and dad because they are in the order, and Ron and Hermione will blindly follow me wherever I go, because that's just how they are. They aren't worried about themselves, they know the dangers and they accept them. I know you're just as stubborn as the rest of your family, if not more sometimes, so I had to think of a way to make you hate me so you wouldn't follow. The fact that I'm mad at myself for breaking up with you, and the fact that I know it was the right thing to do even if it wasn't what I wanted to do, just made it easier for me to be nasty to you. If I was nasty to you, I knew you would begin to hate me. I wanted to make you not care about me anymore, even though it kills me inside." As he finished his explanation, he gingerly looked into her eyes.

Ginny's anger had evaporated half way through Harry's story, and she was filled with a profound forgiveness for his actions of late. She understood why he did what he did. It was probably something she would have done if the situations had been reversed. She still loved him, she knew she would love him until the end of her days. Their love was just something that couldn't be, at least with the circumstances and events surrounding it.

"Harry, I'm so sorry. I don't even know what to say other than I understand." She began to cry, all the anger that had been welling up inside of her, turning to sorrow. Sorrow for the boy who had literally turned into a man in front of her. Sorrow for the man who would have to face the apotheosis of evil. Sorrow for the man who she would never hold in her arms again. "I realize now that sometimes, there's no other choice than to push the person you love away."

Harry, hugged her and they cried together. Harry crying for the loved ones he'd lost, and the ones yet to parish. Ginny crying for Harry, and the roads he would have to travel in his dark future. When they had finally cried until they had no more tears, Harry helped her up.

Wiping the last of the tears away from her eyes, he said, "Now where exactly were you off to in such a hurry before?"

"Oh, Hermione! I almost forgot! I'm sorry Harry, but I have to go." Resting her hand on his arm, she looked into his eyes and said, "We're okay now right? I know you can't have me as a girlfriend, but I still want to be your friend. I don't want to hate you Harry. No matter what you do, you can't make me disappear."

He smiled the first real smile she'd seen come over his face in days, and replied, "I guess I'm stuck with you then, huh?"

They both laughed at this and she replied, "Always, Harry Potter. You're family, and we Weasley's don't run out on family. Well, except maybe Percy, but he was always the oddball of the bunch!" She turned to leave, and inquired, "I'll see you later then?"

"Sure, Ginny…later," he said as he watched her leap down the stairs two at a time.


	11. Love's Embrace

_Of course, as we all know, I don't own anything JKR has created._

_A/N: Okay y'all, here it is. The moment you've all been waiting for. I've discovered, in my own opinion, that I'm completely horrible at this stuff. It took me forty forevers to figure out how to write the scene at the end. I hope I did it justice, but y'all will be the judge of that. Please, I need input on this. Did I write it well enough? Thanks for reading, and I really hope you enjoy this chapter._

**Chapter 10: Love's Embrace**

Ginny ran into the kitchen and made it to the door before she heard her mother call her name. _Darn, and I had my hand on the doorknob, too._ She promptly turned around, hand still resting on the doorknob.

"Mum, I'm sort of in a hurry here," she said very impatiently.

"Don't you take that tone with me young lady," Mrs. Weasley replied.

Ron looked up from his meal and began to snigger at Ginny. Mrs. Weasley gave Ron the most infuriated look. She had been dealing with him all morning, and she didn't want his opinion on anything at that moment. She would be thoroughly glad when he was finished with his breakfast, and he occupied himself somewhere other than in her presence for a while. Ron was so shocked by his mother's glare that he choked on the piece of bacon he had been swallowing. Once he righted himself again, Mrs. Weasley turned back to Ginny.

"Between Ron wanting to eat everyone's food, and you not wanting any, I've been forced into a very foul mood young lady. You need to sit down and eat something. You had nothing for supper last night."

"But mum…" her voice was cut short as it was severely overruled by her mothers'.

"Ginevra Weasley, don't argue with me!" her voice taking on that tone that all mothers' voices get when their children are treading on thin ice. _Uh oh_, Ginny thought, _she used my whole name. I think I'd better eat something before she blows her top. Ron must have really put her through the ringer this morning._

"Yes, mum," she whispered, as she sat down at the table, wishing to avoid her mother's wrath. She speedily inhaled the food that was set before her. She hadn't realized how hungry she really was until she was finally forced to eat something. _I guess, sometimes mothers really do know best_, she thought amusingly.

"Okay mum, I'm through. Can I please leave now?" she queried, testing her mother to see if her mood had changed at all since she had finally been obeyed by one of her children that morning.

"Yes dear. Where are you off to?"

"Oh, um… I'm meeting Hermione. Don't worry mum, we're not leaving the property. We'll be safe," Ginny replied, hoping her mother wouldn't make her elaborate.

"Okay love, but take Hermione some food please," she said, as she was putting some breakfast on a plate and covering it up. "She must have slipped past me this morning. Don't stay out too long dear, I don't want the sun to affect you the way it did yesterday," she cautioned her daughter. All traces of her foul mood gone, she gave Ginny a hug, handed her the plate for Hermione, and sent her on her way.

As she approached her secret haven she saw Hermione sitting cross legged by the edge of the stream, elbows propped on her knees, and her chin resting in her hands. She moved closer to her, and Hermione still didn't realize she was there. Ginny hesitantly called her name, and Hermione seemed to come out of a daze.

"Oh Ginny, you're here. Good. Are you feeling better this morning?" Hermione had been so deep in thought about what she was going to say that she hadn't heard Ginny's footsteps. When she finally realized the girl was there, she immediately forgot everything she had been planning.

"Much better actually. I would have been here sooner, but I had a talk with Harry, and mum made me eat some breakfast. Oh," she said, remembering the plate of food in her hand. "Mum wanted me to bring this to you."

Ginny held the plate out to Hermione, and when she placed her hands on the plate, her fingers overlapped Ginny's. She looked into Ginny's eyes to gauge her reaction and saw a fleeting look of desire pass over them. Finally taking the plate into her own hands, she said, "Have a seat. Tell me about what happened with Harry."

As Hermione ate her meal, Ginny relived her conversation with Harry. Hermione's heart sank when she heard the part about Harry telling Ginny he still loved her. _Maybe I made a mistake telling Ginny to come here_, she had thought as she lost her appetite and put her plate down next to her. She looked over to Ginny who was just finishing her tale, and thought, _I can't take the chance of not telling her and regretting it the rest of my life. Be brave Hermione, make Godric Gryffindor proud._

When Ginny was finally finished, she looked to Hermione questioningly, as if to see whether the older girl was disappointed or not. Hermione asked her, "So, you two have settled whatever it was that was going on between you then?"

"I suppose…"

"Well, that's wonderful Ginny!" Hermione replied, trying to fake enthusiasm, but failing miserably. Ginny, gave her a feeble smile, and they were both quiet for a moment. The tension in the air was so thick, that even Dudley Dursley, who was oblivious to everything but himself, could have picked up on it.

"Do you still love him?" Hermione finally blurted out, unable to hold the question in any longer.

"Yes, I suppose I'll always love him…but I'm not in love with him anymore, if that's what your asking," she answered, looking intensely at Hermione who was looking away at that moment. Ginny thought she saw Hermione expel a long sigh.

"How do you know?" Hermione asked.

"Well, it's not really something I know…it's more like something I feel. I still love him, and I'll always hold a special place in my heart for him, but I don't feel that ache to be in his arms anymore. I don't know if it was the way he treated me that did it, but I've just fallen out of love with him, if that's possible."

"Is it really that easy to fall out of love with someone?" Hermione said more to herself than to Ginny.

"Well, I think of it this way. You're going to fall in love with many people in your lifetime, but you're only going to stay in love with the one your love is meant for. The other's you will fall out of love with and some you may have never really been in love with at all; you just thought you were," Ginny replied, searching for some indication of what Hermione was thinking about.

"Oh…" Hermione's voice trailed off as she pondered what Ginny had just told her. There was silence once more, until Ginny interrupted Hermione's thoughts.

"What was it you wanted to tell me?" she asked Hermione.

_Oh goodness, it's now or never_, Hermione thought. "Well, I've had a lot of time to think about what you told me yesterday," she said, turning to face Ginny. She took the red head's hands in hers and immediately felt at home. All of her fears left her as she drew from Ginny's strength. "I wasn't exactly honest with you, but it was because I wasn't being honest with myself."

Hermione moved herself from her cross legged position and rested on her knees in front of Ginny. She placed her hand on Ginny's cheek and felt the softness of her skin under her fingertips. She looked into the younger girl's eyes, and felt a river of longing pass through them to hers. She smiled tenderly, and said, "I don't know what I'm getting myself into, but I think I love you Ginny Weasley. I think I always have, but I've just never admitted it to myself. When you told me how you felt, it awakened that part of me that had been in denial for so long…"

Ginny's heart began to beat uncontrollably, and she felt like she was going to pass out. _Did I just hear her right? Can this possibly be happening? It is, I can feel the warmth of her hand on my cheek._ A single tear escaped the stronghold of her eye lashes and rolled down her cheek. She put her hands over Hermione's and closed her eyes, pressing her face into Hermione's palm. _I don't want this to end, I want this moment to last forever._

As she opened her eyes, she saw the most beautiful smile form across Hermione's lips. "I feel the same way Hermione. I don't know where it came from or why it took over my heart with such force, or so quickly, but I know I feel it down to my very soul. I know your heart is my home, and your love is my life. I felt so alone after I told you and I thought you didn't feel the same. I felt like a piece of me was torn away, but I would have waited for you forever."

"Oh Ginny…" was all Hermione could manage to utter. Ginny had just said everything Hermione had been wanting to tell her. "You said it so much better than I could have. I was too scared."

"You have nothing to be scared of with me, nothing to hide. Please don't ever keep your feelings from me, I want to know everything that's bothering you Hermione. I want to know everything that's going on in your mind."

Ginny reached out and ran her fingers through Hermione's hair. She felt herself moving closer to the woman she had just expressed her love to. She couldn't stop herself, she didn't want to for that matter. As she leaned into Hermione she saw the smile on her lips broaden, then she closed her eyes.

It was an explosion of raw emotions as Hermione felt Ginny's soft lips meet hers. A million things were said between them without a trace of sound as their lips mingled together. Hermione felt Ginny's hand move to the back of her neck and it sent a plethora of delightful chills down her spine. She wrapped her arms around the younger woman, and pulled her closer, feeling the heat from Ginny's body radiate through her own. She was glad she hadn't been standing because her knees would have given out on her. The heat coursing through her body, and the sensation of Ginny's lips exploring her own sent her into another world. A world where she completely melted into Ginny. She brought her hand up to Ginny's face and caressed her cheek as she pulled away, but not before leaving the slightest trace of a soft kiss upon the girls bottom lip.

"So this is what it's like to be one with another person?" she dreamily asked Ginny.

Ginny exhaled a contented sigh, and said, "Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?"

Hermione giggled, and replied, "Well, Ron tried once…" Her voice suddenly came to a halt as she remember her boyfriend. "Ginny, what am I going to do about Ron?"

"You told me once that a lot of things had to be figured out, but we didn't have to do it right then. Take some of your own advice Hermione!" Ginny playfully replied as she pulled Hermione closer to her.

Hermione blushed, as she remembered that night. "Ginny, you're completely incorrigible some-" she was cut off by Ginny's lips on her own again. She once again found herself melting into Ginny's warm embrace, and decided that thoughts of Ron could wait until later. She was with Ginny now, and Ginny deserved her complete attention.


	12. The Letter

_I don't own anything JKR created._

_A/N: giggles This was the only way I could think of contacting y'all. I thought it was rather ingenious on my part! Lol Hope you don't mind too much._

Chapter 11: The Letter

Hermione was sitting in Ginny's desk chair, gripping the arm rests so hard that her knuckles were turning white. Ginny was trying to do something, anything at all, with the mess of curls Hermione called hair.

"This is going to take ages," Ginny said, the brush getting stuck in Hermione's hair for the hundredth time.

"You sound like Ron," Hermione said, through gritted teeth.

Ginny started laughing, and replied between giggles, "Please Hermione, don't compare me to my brother…it's too…_scary_!"

All of a sudden there was a clicking sound at Ginny's window, and both girls turned to see a tawny barn owl waiting to be let in.

"Who's owl is that?" Hermione asked Ginny.

"I've no idea," Ginny answered, as she opened her window.

The owl gracefully stepped through the window and hopped to Ginny's desk, coming to rest in front of Hermione. Both girls looked at each other, and Ginny said, "Well, is there a letter?"

Hermione examined the owl for a second before seeing the piece of parchment rolled up so tight it was barely visible. She untied it from the owls leg and began to open it up. The owl, having accomplished it's task, took of with such a mad flurry of wings that it almost knocked the letter out of Hermione's hands.

Ginny quickly shut the window and ran over to Hermione. Resting her hands on the older girl's shoulders, she said, "Oh, hurry Hermione. Read it! I can't wait to see who it's from!"

Hermione completely opened the roll of parchment and began to read.

_I know, I know…horrible way to make y'all think there was another chapter posted, but I had to do this. I did think it was a rather cunning way to contact y'all. I've been getting so many responses that y'all wish there was more. Sadly, there will be no more to Broken Boundaries…there is a but, though. I will be making this fic into a series._

_I wrote in my profile, but as many of you don't check that out, I've decided to make this fic into a series. That may have been the last chapter of Broken Boundaries, but only the beginning to the series… I haven't come up with a name for my series yet, but I will eventually. I enjoyed writing this fic immensely, and was upset to see it end, myself. I have grand plans for these two. I had no idea how to connect the events in this fic with the rest of the important events I have planned, and not make it boring with lots of pointless filler content. So, I decided to end it here and pick it up later on certain key plots in the series. Following this fic, there will be a series of one-shots and chaptered fics. The importance of each event will determine whether it will be a one-shot or a chaptered fic. Also, breaking it up leaves time for me to pursue other fics that I've had ideas for, such as The Disappearance, and A Day in the Life of…Dudley Dursley?._

_I'm also a member of Mugglenet Fanfiction, and trying to get these fics posted over there, as well. I've found a wonderful Beta reader and she is helping me to improve Broken Boundaries. MNFF holds their authors at a higher standard, and I have had to add to Broken Boundaries in certain places, so you may want to check it out over there, as well. I highly recommend that site to those of you who don't already know about it. Wonderful fics over there. They also have these things called drabbles that I've become entranced with. I'm going to start a little fic on this site consisting of any and all drabbles I've written. They are mostly challenges issued, so they won't connect in any way, but they are so much fun to write that I thought I would share them with y'all. If you have any challenges you would like to see me try to tackle…I would love to try. They also help when I'm trying to write something and I come to a road block in my mind. Creating a little drabble gets the creative juices flowing again._

_So, as a last note, don't worry that Broken Boundaries is over…you haven't seen the last of Hermione and Ginny…together…in my mind's eye…_

_In goodbye for now, I ask y'all, my faithful readers, challenge me please! Anything you can think of. Want to see a certain pairing written a certain way, want a certain phrase written into the drabble, think I can't handle a guts and gore fic? My e-mail is posted in my profile, or leave your challenge in my reviews section. Give me your best shot, try and stump me…I dare you…_

_Oh snap, before I forget…I'm currently thinking up the next fic in my Ginny/Hermione series, so have fun with my other fics, and issue me some challenges in the mean time. Drabbles won't go over 500 words and take me no longer than an hour to write, so they won't interfere with the Broken Boundaries series. I thrive on author/reader interaction, so if you have any ideas of something you would like to see Ginny and Hermione tackle together, I'd love to hear them. If I think it's something I can fit in somewhere or even make into another sub-plot of my fic, I'll surely try!_

_Piper Alexis (Jen)_

Slowly putting the parchment down, Hermione looked at Ginny.

"What?" They both asked each other at the same time.

"Obviously some nutter sent it to the wrong house," Hermione concluded.

"Yeah, maybe. Why would it have had our names in it, though?" Ginny questioned.

"Coincidence maybe, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Even if it actually has something to do with us, it's just some poor soul who's got nothing better to do than make up stories about us. Assuming that's what '_fics_' are," Hermione answered. She suddenly remembered the hairbrush hanging from the mess Ginny was creating in the back of her head. "Uh, Ginny love, would you mind?" she asked, pointing to the brush dangling for dear life in her hair. "It's beginning to hurt a little."

Ginny, face turning red, grabbed the hair brush and tried to untangle it. "Sorry," she stammered, both girls forgetting all about the mysterious letter.


End file.
